This invention relates to a rotary device acting as a lock between two parts and affording a supplementary function, namely hinging said two parts, with the locking of said parts being effected preliminarily.
A rotary lock device has been described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,118. Said lock comprises two semi-circular bolts which are placed side by side along their diameter when the parts to be locked are in contact with one another and which in this position of the parts constantly complement one another when they are driven into rotation.
Each semi-circular bolt carries two semi-circular beads, one of which lies on the edge of the semi-circle while the other is placed on the side so that said bolt is maintained captive with one degree of liberty within a correspondingly shaped housing formed in one of the parts to be locked and following the rotation imparted thereto comes into engagement with a symmetrical housing formed in the other part to be locked.
Each semi-circular housing is formed with a groove to receive a bolt bead placed on the edge and a groove to receive a bolt bead placed on the side.
According to this invention, each bolt becomes a flap carrying a hinge portion disposed in such a way that the hinge portions of the flaps are aligned with one another when the diameters of the flaps are placed side by side.
When the flap diameters are aligned with the edge face T of parts A and B, the latter are neither locked nor hinged, but as soon as the flaps are rotated in one direction or the other, the parts become locked, said parts being effectively hinged only when the aligned hinge portions are moreover aligned with the edge face of parts A and B.
The device according to the invention can be used each time it is necessary to put two parts into a hinged relationship. It can be employed, for instance, to provide hinges for chests, suitcases, boxes, doors, and the like.